Container opening device



Sept. 12, 1967 .1. RADFORD CONTAINER OPENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1965IN\/ENTOR. v JAMES RADFORD M Z @4 A TTORNE) United States Patent M3,341,055 CONTAINER OPENING DEVICE James Radford, New York, N.Y.,assignor to Jalford, Inc., Suffer-n, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,135 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-48) The presentinvention relates to devices for opening containers. More particularly,the invention relates to devices which facilitate making an opening inmetallic covers for containers.

Metallic container covers in which an opening can be formed by removingtherefrom a previously-scored portion thereof are well known in the art.In general, such portions are removed by grasping a ring or tab attachedto one end of the scored area and, after exerting sufficient upwardforce as to effect the initial break, by gradually tearing out saidscored area.

In general, such prior art tear devices suffer from two maindisadvantages. In the first place, since such devices are designed sothat the initial tear along the scored line must be made by lifting oneend of the scored area upwardly from the container cover, substantialforce is necessary to effect said initial tear. In many cases, childrendo not possess sufficient strength to effect such ini tial break.Obviously, this is a significant limitation to the use of said prior artdevices in conjunction with products which are used primarily bychildren, i.e., canned soft drinks.

A second disadvantage of said devices is that, even after the scoredarea is partly removed, considerable force is still necessary to removesaid scored area completely. When using devices utilizing pull tabs, itis sometimes necessary for the user to grip both the pull tab and thepartly-removed scored area in order to effect the necessary force forcomplete removal thereof. This, in many cases, results in cuts on theusers fingers due to the sharp edges of the partly-removed scored area.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for openingcontainers which are substantially free of one or more of the prior artdisadvantages. It is another object of the invention to provide adisposable device for opening metallic containers which is relativelyinexpensive and easy to fabricate. These and other objects of theinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the lightof the following description.

In its broad aspect, the invention relates to an improvement in ametallic cover for a container, said cover having on its surface acontinuous score line defining an inwardly extending tab, the innermostend of said tab having a substantially angular configuration, theimprovement consisting of a rigid elongated member having a first and asecond end, said first end having the same configuration as theinnermost end of said tab; said rigid elongated member being pivotallymounted on said tab intermediate said ends for pivotal rotation about anaxis perpendicular to said metallic cover from a first position whereinsaid elongated member lies in the area defined by the metallic cover toa second position wherein the first end of said member is injuxtaposition with the innermost end of said tab and the second end ofsaid member extends beyond the area defined by said metallic cover.

The construction and operation of the devices of the present inventionwill now be more fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a contained cover having mounted thereon anopening device according to the present invention, said device beingshown in the nonoperative or storage position.

Patented Sept. 12, 1967 FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container cover ofFIG. 1, with the opening device in the operative position.

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, a preferred form of the invention comprisesa circular metallic cover 10, preferably of aluminum or an alloythereof, secured by double-seaming to a tubular can body 11 along seam10a. Cover 10 is provided with an inwardly projecting tab 12 which isdefined by a continuous score line 13. Said tab 12, preferably of asubstantially triangular configuration, has one side substantiallyadjacent the circumference of metal lic cover 10 and extends inwardlytoward the center of said cover, terminating into an angular point 14.

Pivotally mounted on said tab 12 by means of pivot member 15 is a rigidelongated metallic member 16 having a first or piercing end 17 and asecond or grasping end 18. Piercing end 17 is so fabricated as toconform in shape to the innermost angular end 14 of tab 12.

The pivot member 15, which can be a rivet formed as to be an integralpart of tab 12, and the metallic member 16 are so fabricated andpositioned that, when metallic member 16 is in the storage position asshown in FIG. 1, the entire length of said member will be within thearea defined by circular metallic cover 10, and that, when metallicmember 16 is in the operative position shown in FIG. 2, the piercing end17 of said member will be in juxtaposition with angular end 14 of tab 12and the grasping end 18 will extend beyond the area defined by circularcover 10.

Member 16 is also provided with upstanding ribs 19 and 20 which areintegral therewith and which extend along the opposite edges thereoffrom the grasping end 18 to the piercing end 17. The function of saidribs is to prevent member 16 from bending or flexing during operation.

In addition, member 16 is provided at the lower face thereof with bumps21 and 22. These bumps, which are so positioned as to engagetherebetween seam 10a when member 16 is in the position shown in FIG. 2,have a dual purpose which will become apparent hereinafter.

To open a container according to the present inven tion, the user merelypicks up the container, which has been stored with member 16 positionedas shown in FIG. 1, and rotates said member 16 about pivot member 15until piercing end 17 is in juxtaposition with angular end 14 of tab 12.Bumps 21 and 22 serve to space grasping end 18 of member 16 from thecontainer cover, thus facilitating grasping said end by the usersfingers. In addition, as member 16 is pivotally rotated about an axisperpendicular to cover 10, said bumps will engage therebetween seam 10aas member 16 becomes so positioned that the piercing end thereof is inexact juxtaposition with angular end 14 of tab 12. This will make itunnecessary to position member 16 by visual means and allows the deviceof the invention to be used efficiently under limited illumination.

Once member 16 is so positioned, the user merely exerts an upward forceon grasping end 18 of member 16, thus effectively piercing cover 10 bymeans of piercing end 17 at angular end 14 of tab 12. Once initialpenetration is accomplished, the user applies a downward force ongrasping end 18 of member 16. The force applied through member 16,acting as a lever utilizing seam 10a as a fulcrum, gradually detachestab 12 from cover 10 along score line 13 until tab 12 is completelyremoved, providing the desired opening in cover 10.

It should be understood that the above description relates to apreferred embodiment of the invention and that changes and additions maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention.

It should be noted, for example, that the depth and design of bump 22and the height of seam 10a may be so selected that, as bump 22 comes incontact with seam 10a and rides up and over said seam when member 16 isrotated to the operative position, the resulting downward force exertedby leverage, by piercing end 17 on cover 10 is sufiicient to etfect theinitial piercing of the scored tab.

What is claimed is:

In a metallic cover for a container, said cover having on its surface acontinuous score line defining an inwardly extending tab, the innermostend of said tab having a substantially angular configuration, theimprovement consisting of a rigid elongated member having a first and asecond end, said first end having the same configuration as theinnermost end of said tab; said rigid elongated member being pivotallymounted on said tab intermediate said ends'for pivotal rotation about anaxis perpendicular to said metallic cover from a first position whereinsaid elongated member lies in the area defined by the metallic cover toa second position wherein the first end of said member is injuxtaposition with the innermost end of said tab and the second end ofsaid member extends beyond the area defined by said metallic cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,329 2/1936 Ljungstrom etal. 220-48 3,232,474 2/1966 Dunn 220-48 THERON E. CONDON, PrimaryExaminer.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

